Friday, October 30, 2009

Eating dog is a contentious topic especially to those from the western world. Before arriving in Vietnam I didn’t think I would try dog as I love dogs and I didn’t think it was a humane thing to do. Our culture has domesticated dogs however in many parts of Asia they have not. It must be stressed that dogs are farmed here like cattle and sheep in our countries and in their culture it is a normal thing to do. I don’t think as westerners we can criticise eating dog but we can criticise how they are treated as we would any animal, farmed, domestic or wild, in our country. Unfortunately, as in many cases at home, I can’t vouch for the conditions of the farms, however for the dogs in Vietnam it is not a case of stealing them off the street as some would profess. I tried dog with a Vietnamese friend and it was a chewy and rather tough meat. It wasn’t terrible but I can’t say I enjoyed it.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

After years of boarding school food I have often been heard saying “That tastes like shit!” The synthetic, rubbery creations they managed still haunt me today. Well, who would have thought that many years later I would have to bite my words? Those horrible inventions that found my dinner plate back in those days did not in fact taste like shit. I know this because in a sense I have now tried the real thing through the coffee beans that have passed through a weasel’s digestive system. True story!

In fact it is not as bad as it sounds. The weasels eat the beans which pass through undigested. The local farmers collect the beans which are then washed (twice I hope) and roasted. The end result is apparently a stronger, smoother coffee with a unique taste.What I would like to know is who actually tries this for the first time. Who looks at a weasel eating and subsequently excreting coffee beans and thinks, "you know what, I might just try that". It is that concept that I find humourous me more than any other.

There are many cafes selling weasel coffee in the old quarter. I decided to stop by today and try it out. The lady said you pick a strenght level between 1 and 8 with one being the strongest and 8 the weakest. I wasn’t really sure what determined the strength of the coffee so went down the line and opted for number four. I had the coffee with ice and a bit of milk (condensed). It was tasty. The coffee's flavour was a little different to the normal Vietnamese coffee I drink but on a whole I enjoyed it. I don’t feel sick yet so mission successful.

The café I went to was at 103 Hang Buom Street. The coffee was 10,000 Dong.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Despite the soon to come dismay of my friend Gary I asked my landlord about the possibility of a lunch date to try one of the local delicacies – DOG. We have had this discussion before and the family were excited to take us. While we were on our overnight trip to Haiphong I texted the family to see if Saturday was ok. Diep is the mum and our landlady, her reply was:

“Hi! For the dog meat, it’s better to go by end of lunar month in 2 weeks time to avoid bad luck. if we eat by early of lunar month now, is it ok with you? Have a good trip in Haiphong”

lol.

The family is very westernised by Vietnamese standards however their culture and different beliefs still come through which makes our stay here all the more enjoyable. I am not sure what bad luck they can expect for eating dog early in the lunar month so I will investigate further.I just hope that when I return home I don’t get any nervous stares from Russell - my family dog.

Today we woke up at 11h45, which is really odd for us and which we hate, as it feels the day is already ending when it has only just started! Usually we have much more productive mornings than just sleeping.I had to get to work a 2pm, so only had time to get ready, grab a bit and do a few things before it was already time to go.Things at school are going great. I like my students and they like me. Before school Dan an I went to the supermarket to grab a few things we were missing and then my work day started: three consecutives 90 minutes classes. By the end I was pretty tired, but found enough energy to get some barbecued beef for diner, in one of those street restaurant we love. Barbecues places offer you a plate of row beef and a plate of raw vegetables: they install a mini barbecue on each table and some condiments. We had a feast plus one beer and one iced green tea for 85,000 VND – or AUD$4. Then we went home and I am catching up on my internet tasks while Dan is asleep on the sofa :)A typical day, waking up so damn late aside…

This is the menu from the beautiful seafood restaurant where we had lunch in Haiphong, by the beach. Dan and I are doing pretty good with Vietnamese menus now, as we know quite a few food related words. But from the kindness of their heart, the staff brought us an English menu. Sweet, yes. But I probably would have found the Vietnamese version clearer!Can someone please help me understand this menu?? Lol.

In this post I mostly talk about the same things Dan described in his post "Hanoi to Haiphong", but I insisted on our wonderful afternoon at the beach, breathing clean air, relaxing on our chaises longues, sipping coconut milk directly from the fruit... I loved it and hope you like the pictures!

Friday, October 23, 2009

Celine and I had our first real experience of being conned while in Haiphong. We rented a motorbike through what I originally thought was the hotel. With my very limited Vietnamese and the locals limited English, it is sometimes hard to completely understand what is happening. We rented the bike for half a day for 75,000 Dong and said we would have it back by 6.30pm. They told us to pay for the bike when we returned which I originally thought was a bit unusual but thought nothing of it. I didn’t inspect the bike at all, just thanked him and riding off.

When we returned at 6.30pm I gave him 200,000 Dong and asked for the change. He took the money and then started looking at the bike. He quickly found a crack on one of the panels and then soon after another cracked panel. These were not obvious but were there nonetheless. I quickly saw where this was going and denied causing the damage. He could not speak any English and kept pointing to the cracks and suggesting that I had fallen off the bike. I said no I hadn’t.

Soon after, the guy from the hotel who organised the bike for me appeared. His English was much better. He explained the obvious; that the owner thought I caused the cracks and that I must have fallen over. I said no I haven’t, look at my knees and elbows, there are no scratches. He suggests that when I parked someone might have knocked it over. I said no. I was sure I hadn't caused the damage but admit his little show did cast some doubt.

The owner asked me to pay for the damage and wanted 500,000 Dong. I said I didn’t cause the damage starting to get annoyed. The owner started to get angry repeatedly pointing at the cracks. The guy from the hotel continued to translate. I told them I was not going to pay as they were trying to con us because we were foreigners. The owner offers to drive me to the Honda repair centre to confirm the prices. I said no. He gets angry and threatens to call the police.

At this point I decided to call Celine who was up in the hotel. I explained briefly and she wanted to come down. The owner wanted to drive me to the police station. I wasn't falling for that and started to get angry myself. The owner continued to rant on that he gave us a good bike and that we should pay. Celine arrived and took control of the situation well. She summed up quickly what was going on and didn’t take any shit. She stressed that we were not paying and if he wanted to involve the police, to bring them to our hotel. We argued for a minute more before walking off to our hotel. He followed us and came into our foyer shouting at us and calling us no good. Celine shouted back calling him no good for he already had our 200,000 Dong. He was taken a little by surprise and started to walk back to his bike. We shouted a few things back and forth, none of us understanding the other, before he drove off.

In hindsight I realised a number of things. Firstly as the bikes are not insured it is imperative to check the bike thoroughly for any physical problems. I took this for granted as the company in Hanoi is very good and trustworthy. I found the one in Hanoi through an expat website with great reviews. I found this one through some random. I should have seen the difference.

Secondly, I realised that not everyone in Vietnam is trustworthy. I had taken this for granted as well because the people we have met so far have been extremely friendly and helpful. In this case I think the owner and missing tooth guy were both in on this little con and they put on a pretty good show. I am angry they ended up with our 200,000 but we learnt a valuable lesson.

Thirdly, I realised that you shouldn’t mess with Celine. Actually I did already know that but I didn’t realise that con artists shouldn’t mess with Celine. I now realise that. If any of you out there are thinking of coning us I would think again.

Haiphong is the third largest city in Vietnam and is approximately 100km east of Hanoi. We opted for the train route which takes about two and a half hours. The tickets are 30,000 dong and can be bought before you take the train. The trains leave from Long Bien station and we headed off at 9.30am. Our aim was to explore Haiphong and the nearby Do Son beach then spend the night before taking an early train back to Hanoi.The seats on the train were wooden and not the best place to get some shut eye and it didn’t take too long before they were causing some sore bums. Celine managed some sleep while I tried to keep awake, reading a local paper (in english). The dark green train had about seven carriages and never reached fast speed as we went along countryside villages and rice fields.

When we got off the train we were bombarded. There are much fewer tourists in Haiphong, and fewer tourists means fewer targets: everyone wanted to sell us their services, from motortaxis to Sans Soucis, the bush bike taxis, to people selling maps or hotel rooms.We walked off towards the main stretch of town to find a hotel and a motorbike to rent. The streets were wider and there was much less traffic than in Hanoi. The big difference was the pollution, or lack thereof. It was nice to be able to breathe.

We found a hotel on Dien Bien Pho Street for US $17 and organised a motorbike rental from a nice helpful guy missing his front teeth. With our newly aquired motorbike, we drove around town a bit and then took the 20km ride out to Do Son beach. Do Son is a seaside resort with one of only a few casinos in Vietnam. The highway was great, so wide and clear with few other motorbikes. Once off the highway, we followed the windy coastal roads,sea to our left and hills to our right. We stopped at an outside seafood restaurant looking out over the water and enjoyed tiger prawns "steemed in beer".. or that's what the menu said, but have a look at Celine's post about the menu... I'm not sure it can be trusted...

We sat on the beach having a drink and watching kids play and catch jellyfish. It was a great afternoon. It was quiet and peaceful and relaxing: adjectives we don't make use of so much in Hanoi...

We drove back to Haiphong in the early evening and had our first real experience of being conned (see next post). It put a damper on the evening but be managed to find a great place to eat on the street a couple of hours later, and tried to put that behind us. We had BBQ beef and the local beer and watched as a street karaoke passed by and locals sat next to us started singing loudly in the microphone. Gold. The street was lively and colourful, a stark contrast to the suggestions of Lonely Planet... The whole area listed in the Lonely Planet seemed desolate, dark and uninteresting as opposed to many other areas in town. In short if you are heading to Haiphong leave the Lonely Planet guide at home.

We had the option for first class travel on the way back to Hanoi and we decided to splurge. The ticket was 45,000 ($3) dong per person which gave us soft comfortable chairs and air conditioning. It was just what we needed. Apart from the local’s antics, who found it imperative to shout on their phones while we were trying to sleep, we had a good trip back to Hanoi Celine slept almost the whole trip!

Today is woman’s day in Vietnam. Zuyen, one of my students, joined Dan and I this morning for coffee in our alleyway for the occasion. She brought me traditional cake from her village as well and a beautiful necklace and bracelet. She is so nice, she’s the one who takes me home sometimes after class so Dan doesn’t have to pick me up. I have to buy her a present too, today is her day too after all. My students are all so nice: last night they invited me for a drink after class, they all came. Dan joined us and we had a great night chatting with them about customs in Vietnam. We also laughed a lot.For woman’s day, Dan has cooked me lunch and this afternoon, I get to choose the café in which I unfortunately will have to prepare my lessons for tomorrow: one of my classes will be observed by my boss so I really need to prepare that one properly. I also will go to a salon for a facial and manicure. Love woman’s day!!

On Saturday we went to visit Van Phuc, a silk village 10 kms from Hanoi.Once arrived there, we only found one side street selling silk scarves and bags, and nothing else. We thought there must be more silk than what was in this street, after all this was the silk village! So we pushed a little in the maze of lanes which constitute the village, and drove through them and small alleys, until we reached a ss field, and on the other side, we found the silk market. We loved this ride across the village, from the lanes we had a direct view into the small courtyards where we could see villagers attending to their daily occupations. Many people said "hello " when seeing us pass by: a young man particularly was very happy when seeing us, and with a smile up to his ears, gestured us to stop, we did, and then he gestured us to follow him. Curious, we followed him to his house, where a person who seemed to be his elder brother, saw us arrive with a certain surprise. He asked us if he could do something for us, to which we replied we had been following his brother and came here at his request. The young man in question was still standing there, smiling. The older brother laughed and explained in broken English that his younger brother was a bit slow and did not understand what he did most of the time. Lol, so sweet at the first sight of us on the road, he decided to take us home! We said farewell and left.The silk market was very pretty, I saw lots of things I liked: silk dresses from $20 , beautiful bags from $10, scarves, tunics, cushions of every colour and shape: you ladies will love the place when you come to visit. We walked around for a while and on our way back we crossed the village’s main square, where, next to the village fountain, and man was telling Vietnamese legend stories to young people. He was holding in front of one young man’s eyes some sort of plastic binoculars in which he inserted a small image flashcard, that he changed for another one when getting to a different part of the sory. The whole scene was filmed by a TV crew, and quite a crowd had formed around him. They tried to make me go next, but I explained there was no point as I wouldn’t understand the story…It was a very good day, an I will definitely go back to the silk village with a bit more money in my pocket! This time I had just enough for a bag, isn’t it beautiful?

Monday, October 19, 2009

Ok, so I have been in Vietnam for a few months now and I like to profess myself as a traveller that likes to immerse himself in the culture, foods included. I have compiled a list of 5 things I have already tried and 5 I pledge to try before I leave this country.

The 5 I have tried in no particular order;

1. Rotten shrimp sauce This stuff is actually rotten and the Vietnamese love it. It stinks like vomit and tastes like shit.

2. PigeonTo the French this is probably no biggie but this is the first time I have tried pigeon and it didn’t disappoint. You get the whole pigeon from head to toe (which isn’t much) and it doesn’t leave much to the imagination. They cut the pigeon into bits and serve on a plate with a dipping sauce of mainly salt and lemon. Delicious!

3. BuffaloThe buffalo was served with a plate of rice and the meat was shredded into small unskinned sausages wrapped in leaves. I am a fan of the buffalo.

4. Pigs earsPig’s ears are not a good idea unless of course you don’t mind cartridge. The unflavoured bits of the ear are wrapped in a Vietnamese spring roll with a few vegetables. You are given a dipping sauce but you can’t help but imagine the ear of the pig you are eating. The thought can make you heave and I was not to far away. It is not the flavour but the crunchy, chewy texture that gives this option the big thumbs down.

5. Cow tongueThis was served on a street corner where there was no English whatsoever. While playing the pointing game, trying to determine where on the body the meat came from, the positive response came when pointing to the tongue. It was fine, a bit bland if anything and I would have no problems with a repeat serve.

The 5 to try are a bit more daring than the above list and I hear you say, harden up and get in there. I hope I can report back to you soon, stomach intact.

1. DogDog is eaten throughout Vietnam, especially at the end of the lunar month. I have a lunch date booked with our landlord so will report back soon.

2. Duck embryoYou can get the duck embryo readily in Vietnam, metres from our house in fact, but I have not had the guts to have a taste yet. It is apparently a favourite for breakfast. I will stick with my cornflakes.

3. Pigs UterusNot looking forward to this one for obvious reasons.

4. DorianDorian is a local fruit that smells like stale vomit. You know that Dorian is around from the smell before you see the fruit.

5. SnakeThere is a village where you can go and eat cobra. They catch the snake, kill it in front of you by cutting out its heart, and then proceed to cook a number of dishes. You drink the bile with vodka and shot the snakes blood. One person, usually the oldest male has the privilege of swallowing the heart. Yum!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

1. Rode a motorbike (the obvious starter)2. Rode with a passenger on a motorbike (harder than just you, especially when passenger is drunk and singing and attempting to dance)3. Crashed a motorbike (within the first two weeks……)4. Rode while talking on a mobile (no laws against it here)\5. Rode on a highway (bit scarier when buses are coming right for you)6. Rode while carrying the weekly shopping 7. Rode while carrying a bunch of flowers (hanging from the handle bars)8. Stalled a motorbike….repeatedly (a favourite for Celine who is happy to let anyone nearby know as I frantically try to restart. Thanks Hun)9. Rode through a storm on a motorbike10. Paid in two months parking fees which wouldn’t get close to one hour at the Sydney airport (Cheers Sydney airport)

10 things I have to do on a motorbike

1. Ride with three or more people on a motorbike ( I have seen it done often)2. Ride while smoking (everyone is doing it)3. Ride while eating (not so many people doing that but I get hungry)4. Do a proper road trip on the bike (I have only ventured 20km out of Hanoi)5. Carry a case of beer home solo (a mark of my independence)6. Act as a xeom (motorbike taxi) for people that need a ride7. Transport local produce like a real Vietnamese8. Instigate some road rage (very hard with the Vietnamese)9. Think about actually getting a license (I just can’t be bothered)10. Keep exploring (not hard in this city)

Sunday, October 11, 2009

The Long Bien Bridge Memory Festival opened in Hanoi on October 10 to mark the 55th anniversary of the Capital’s Liberation Day and the 10th year Hanoi has been recognised as a City for Peace by UNESCO. (VOVNews)

The bridge, 1,628 metres in length was broken into 12 parts which represented the 12 decades of its existence. The bridge, a symbol of Hanoi withheld a number of attacks in its history. The streets were crammed with people and traffic was gridlocked. When we found a park we slowly moved through the people to the start of the bridge. There were a number of stalls selling found or souvenirs but it was hard to get a look in with all the people. We walked onto the bridge following the steady line in front of us. There were paintings displayed along the bridge all with the bridge as its theme. Many were very impressive.

The length of the bridge had a white sheet hung up for people to leave comments. The sheet was filled with comments from the Vietnamese, many patriotic. As we were looking at one section one of the staff asked if we would like to leave a comment. As we bent down to write something we became minor celebrities. While Celine attempted to write something in Vietnamese a group formed around her with intense interest. She wrote "xin chao" three times, asking the crowd to help her with the spelling: they all did, and laughed happily when she got it wrong, then clapped when she got it right (top one). It was great: many took photos of her, as soon as she grabbed the pen, I think they were curious on what she would write. We left our comments and hurried off before they asked for our autographs :)

We walked maybe a third of the bridge and then walked back. As we reached the end we saw many young kids climbing down from the top of the bridge, not the safest or most intelligent thing to do. It was enjoyable to see but to be honest there wasn’t a great deal happening. All traffic was stopped on the bridge for the weekend and there were a number of art works scattered along; an outdoor art gallery I guess. Apart from a few stands there wasn’t anything else happening. This obviously didn’t stop the crowds as the area was crammed with people.

photo: helmet the wrong way (oops)We made our way to the Old quarter where we had a chance to breathe and sat down for dinner. Celine had a beef dish and I had the pigeon. Delicious! We had a few drinks at a local expat bar, Half Man Half Noodle. Celine had one to many cocktails and was a barrel of laughs on the way home chatting to the Vietnamese as we passed. I noticed she had her helmet on back to front (yes it is possible) so I had to stop for a photo. Some young girls nearby joined in the photo as well which was a fitting way to end the night.

I am often left with some time to kill which I use as a period of relaxation and discovery. After dropping Celine at school I am left with a few hours before I need to pick her up. The opportunities are endless in Hanoi however none so far outweighs the chance to explore. There is no better way than to jump on the bike and just ride. No rhyme or reason. No plan, no preparation, no map.

Hanoi is a city of avid activity, the streets bursting with life. Negotiating the demanding traffic you become captivated, lost in the constant flow, connecting and uniting with the city. The city really feels alive and I feel part of it. While concentrating on the traffic your eyes wander jumping from image to image and if you don’t look closely you will miss the best part. If you don’t look closely the scene can be a blur. You will miss what moves Hanoi forward, the multitude of commerce and trade, culture and family. It is these images that strike something inside of you. You feel in a different world but one that is inviting and welcoming.

As I turn off the main road into smaller streets and alleys the setting becomes more intimate. The streets wind and bend in a maze of life. Ladies sell spices and fruits by the side of the road. Others display slabs of meat or the latest catch of fish. Women on bikes pedal the streets with a collection of fresh flowers. Men covered in black soot work vigorously repairing bikes. A nearby welder sends sparks onto the road and a few metres down you feel the heat on your legs as you pass the local blacksmith. Kids fill the streets, many playing around their families business. The older ones ride pushbikes, many on their way home from school. They are always happy, always smiling. Old men share a conversation over a beer or green tea; most enjoying a smoke out of a pipe and some playing Chinese chess. As you ride past many will glance your way, interested and intrigued I feel but friendly nonetheless. A small nod or wave will bring a beaming smile. They are happy people. As a turn aimlessly down another street, thinner than the last, the buildings on either side engulf me. The chipped paint and ageing roads only give character to the place. There are no foreigners down these streets. Small stores sell all your basic necessities; water, drinks, snacks and cigarettes. Street food can be found on most corners, simple boards advertising their menu.

Vietnamese flags hang from many houses and it is hard to miss that they are very proud and patriotic. They work hard and as you ride you see the constant development that is happening around Hanoi. Buildings are going up around the city and the economic growth in recent years is evident. Men push carts with bags of cement, others with bricks or pipes, for cars and trucks can’t access many of these streets. While the men work kids play around the site content with the simplicity of the setting.

At one point the road ends. After a minute of riding and with no warning I reach a dead end. I turn around and try and find my way back. All the streets look the same. I turn left and then right dodging a kid or a bike or a hole. I reach another dead end. I turn around and drive straight taking the biggest street I can find; one I don’t remember. I am in the centre of a residential neighbourhood and only the locals would know which street goes where. The streets are still busy and things are happening on every side. I have lost my way, getting more unsure with each turn. Finally the streets, flanked by towering buildings, open to an unpathed junction. A rocky road connects various paths of traffic and as I turn right I come upon a fenced rice field about an acre in area. High buildings surround the field proving an obvious contrast between the countries agriculture, a symbol of their culture and way of life, and the new modernisation that is changing the city.

A few minutes later I find my bearings, joining a main street with the peak hour traffic in full force. Admiring the buildings, which are notoriously tall and thin (for tax saving purposes), I have a lapse of concentration. A bike turns from my left across the front of me in order to make a late right turn. I slam on the brakes but to no avail. I smash into the side of him, my handle bars hitting his arm. He only gave me an apathetic look and before I could apologise he was on his way. He showed no anger or annoyance, a possible sign of the Vietnamese temperament.

There are bikes everywhere. Many carry three and sometimes four people. Young kids ride without helmets at ease with the hysteria around them. Bikes will carry anything you can think of; from large pottery to mattresses, kegs of beer or countless cases of eggs. I finally turn onto the street Celine works on crossing the busy traffic until I stop outside her office. I jump off the bike for the first time since I left with sweat running down my face. The ride can take it out of you and I felt foggy and drained. My skin was sticky and dirty due to the dust and pollution of Hanoi however I was content and satisfied. The city has so much to offer and there are new things around every corner. Today I was able to see a few of those.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Yesterday Celine and I went to see the museum of Ethnology: a vast collection of art and general objects from the Vietnamese ethic minorities. The museum is about 15 minutes on motorbike from where we live so would be regarded as a bit out of town. The ride gave us the opportunity to see another part of Hanoi. The building is a large circular white building which could be mistaken for some kind of spaceship. It is ugly and imposing unlike the diverse yet gratifying simplicity of the tribal people.

The museum is renown as one of the main touristic attractions in Hanoi and is definitely worth the visit. The two floors look at all the tribal groups throughout Vietnam, with numerous collections giving you a great visual image of how they live and what they do. Among the minorities in the museum are the Hmong and White Thai people who we have already visited in real life on our trip to Mai Chau.

A White Thai house representation, which happens to be the exact replica of he house we stayed in in Mai Chau last month

Me visiting a communal house outside of the ethnology museum

There was a special exhibition about “Highway 9”, a massive highway spanning around 1,400km across numerous countries, originating in Vietnam. The highway originally was built by the French and destroyed during the war and has a turbulent history. The exhibition, mainly photos, didn’t have that much of interest to offer. I didn’t really understand what a display of Vietnamese red bull ("wild horse" I think) had anything to do with the highway. Celine says it's because they sell it in many shops by the highway, in Laos.

There is a large area with outside exhibits of full size house and tomb reconstructions. You have the chance to walk inside and see how they live in the villages. I am not sure if the young lady sitting in one of the replicas, playing an online game with her wifi internet connection, is a true reflection of village life. They do say even villages are adapting to the modernisation of Vietnam so I may have to investigate.

The replica of a tomb oustside of the museum

Celine having tea in one of the communal houses outside of the museum

All in all we had a lot of fun visithing the Museum of Ethnology, it was a worthwhile visit and one of the better museums I have seen in Hanoi.

Health news: I'm much better, the toothache is almost gone and I am full of energy again.

Job news: yesterday I began my “three classes days”: it means that from now on, on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays I have three lessons to prepare and give: one from 16h00 to 17h30, one from 17h45 to 19h15 and the last from 19h30 to 21h00. It’s a bit heavy, three classes in the same evening, but at the moment I have three days off which is really cool: I can take a Wednesday off from time to time and go someplace with Dan for three days.

My lessons are going well: I like teaching. (see picture above of my classroom board). I get on pretty well with other teachers, but apart from them and Ben August, my blog friend, I avoid too much exposure to expats in general: I usually find that they use a condescending tone when speaking of the Vietnamese and their habits.My students like me: two of them invited me for coffee on Tuesday morning. Duyen, a 21 year old with modern ideas (« I don’t want a boyfriend, I want to be free! ») picked me up from home on her motorbike and before going to the cafe, showed me around the University of Fine Arts, where she studies. It’s right by our lane. She even took me up to her class, where about twenty students where drawing a nude model… wearing underpants. So not that nude… well it seems it’s not ok to pause starkers here. Made me laugh anyway.

news about our flat and setting: we really like our flat, our building and our street. Our small alleyway gives directly on a large street quite well known around Hanoi, 'Tran Hung Dao'. In the alleyway there is all that we could need. There’s a Pho street restaurant opened from 7h00 to 14h00, a cafe, a grocery, a hair salon, street fruits and vegetables vendors with their baskets and two or three motorbikes taxis permanently there. I go downstairs for coffee every day, have a Pho lunch several times a week and go down to the salon every time I need a shampoo. I also often use a xe om (motorbike-taxi) when I have to get to school and Dan has already taken the motorbike. Xe-oms know me well and know where I’m going, I don’t need to give them an address anymore! Actually, everybody knows us now: we are the only non-Vietnamese in the alleyway. This little street is really a community in itself, where people are all friends with one another. The owners of the cafe have lunch at the Pho tables, and look after the children from the grocery, who are friends with to all other children of the alleyway. Our landlords, Dieppe, Anh and the children, Little Bibi and Mimi, are also often on the street, in the café or in the pho booth. Sometimes I find Ha (the lovely house keeper) sat down on the floor chatting away with the fruits vendor ladies, or with the moto-taxi guys, who sit on their motorbikes all day waiting for a customer. Dan often goes for a beer or two with Anh, the man of the house, at the cafe. With the beer they eat dried squid. This sounds strange but it’s really nice, I’ve had it too a couple of times.

News of my occupations: my days are always filled; at the moment I spend quite a lot of time preparing my lessons: I now go to school earlier than required and spend time there getting my lessons ready, it’s more practical as everything I need is right there. I do play computer games too much I admit, but I don’t watch TV a lot, apart from the movie channel which is often in the background in our flat. Sometimes I spend a few minutes on Korean or Vietnamese Soaps, when subtitled in English. It helps understand Asian culture: their humour, daily preoccupations, taboos etc … but Dan hates them. I find them hilarious.On the books topics, after having finished the ‘Tales of the Otori’, a saga I bought in France where it's a huge success, I am now reading a French novel set in Hanoi in the XIXth century. The novel itself is not amazingly written to be honest, but it’s still interesting to learn more about Hanoi in history, in this case during the French occupation. I am extremely happy to have found a French library here in the French cultural centre – the equivalent of the Alliance in Sydney – called “L’espace”. I signed up for a very high $75, but it’s worth it. I always like to read in French, one of the only things I still get to do in French (this and singing in the shower :) )

As for the rest of our occupations, well, Dan and I try to do different things each time we have time off together. Next week we want to go spend a day and a night in Hai Phong and Cat Ba Island, in the Eastern part of the country, near Ha Long bay. We might not go all the way to Ha Long Bay though as we reckon we will end up going there every time someone comes to visit us.Today, Thursday, we have visited the museum of Ethnology. We will write a post about it soon.

Here are my news! Hope everyone is ok, thanks for reading us and a special thank you for those of you who leave us comments: they are appreciated. lots of love your way, Australia.